The Hands of Time
by Mrs. A Skywalker
Summary: A SONG FIC- When Darth Vader considers what he has lost, the force shows him mercy.


**READERS: THERE IS A MUSIC VIDEO TO GO WITH THIS. INFORMATION IS LISTED BELOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.**

**disclaimer - Star Wars saga and characters are property of George Lucas. "If I could turn back the hands of time" written by R. Kelly**

* * *

"_Where is Padme? Is she safe, is she all right?"  
_

"_It seems in your anger, you killed her."_

_****_

How did I ever let you slip away  
Never knowing I'd be singing this song some day  
And now I'm sinking, sinking to rise no more  
Ever since you closed the door

I desperately search the vastness of the force for any sign of her signature, pleading against the veracity of the emperor's claims. But I find nothing…not a trace…not a impression…just a void where it should have been. In shock, I recoil and an indescribable agony washes over me. My newly recovered body is again assaulted by yet another blow. It knocks the wind from my chest as a torturous reality reveals itself. She and I will forever be parted. The sea of the force stands between us, and I...I am no longer powerful enough to reach her. She was alive. She was fine. I don't understand why she closed her eyes for all time.

_**If I could turn, turn back the hands of time  
Then my darlin' you'd still be mine  
If I could turn, turn back the hands of time  
Then darlin' you, you'd still be mine**_**  
**

I was once a man that had love and the promise of a growing family. I had it all. Was I wrong to want to keep what I loved more than life itself? I tried to save her and my child from the fate that awaited them. And now, I am doomed to roam the domain of the empire without the beat of my heart. It's the price of my passion…and lack of faith.

_**Funny, funny how time goes by  
And blessings are missed in the wink of an eye  
Why oh why oh why should one have to go on suffering  
When every day I pray please come back to me  
**_

The touch of machines and droids replaced the touch of your soft skin. The horrific sound of my own breathing replaced the sound of your sweet voice calling my name. My voice, nearly forgotten now, is replaced by a mechanical voice. My broken and battery body is now held together by cybernetics and cold steel. What is left of your husband, is a hollow tortured ruin. My life is filled with bitter emptiness and self-hate. It wasn't long ago that I held you in my arms, that I felt your kiss, and drowned in the deep brown pools of your eyes. It wasn't long ago that we enjoyed the news that our family was growing. And now…and now, instead of standing beside you as you deliver our child, I stand beside my master watching as the death of liberty is created.

_**If I could turn, turn back the hands of time  
Then my darlin' you'd still be mine  
If I could turn, turn back the hands of time  
Then darlin' you, you'd still be mine**_

I wish I could hold you in my arms again. I wish I go back to that fateful day and do it all over. I wish I could have chosen the right instead of the wrong. I wish…I wish I had more faith. I lost you when I chose this path. I see that now. You were right; I was blinded by love. I will never be able to hold you again. I will never see you laugh, and blush and smile. I will never…never be a father to our child. All is lost and can never be reclaimed. The agony is too great, my love, too great to bare. I wish I could go back. I would have chosen the light instead of the dark. I would still be with you both. I would still have you in my arms.

_**And you had enough love for the both of us  
But I, I, I did you wrong, I admit I did  
But now I'm facing the rest of my life alone, whoa**_**  
**

You were stronger one. You believed in us. You believed in me. But, I didn't allow your strength to carry me through. I was too afraid to let go. And here I am, reeling from your abrupt departure knowing that it could have been different had I had more faith.

_**If I could turn, turn back the hands of time  
Then my darlin' you'd still be mine  
If I could turn, turn back the hands of time  
Then darlin' you, you'd still be mine**_**  
**

The force is shifting. The images of you come to me more clearly than before. The flat bed takes me back…back to moments before I discovered you were gone. I don't understand what is happening or why. The darkness is lifting slowly and the light is beginning to penetrate. The sensation of your kiss returns as the helmet is lifted. The sorrow in my heart slowly drains from me as the mask is removed. And now I can see with my own eyes. Hope returns. HOPE...returns.

Yes, something is happening. The force has heard my pleas and time, it seems, is being undone.

_**I'd never hurt you **_

_**If I could turn back  
**__**Never do you wrong **_

_**If I could turn back  
And never leave your side **_

_**If I could turn back  
If I could turn back the hands**_

Open your eyes, my love. Awaken and come back to a fresh start. We are given a second chance. This time, I will never do anything to hurt you. I hope you will be there and you will forgive me for all I have done. I remember when you encouraged me and gave strength when I was weak. I miss the moments we shared. I remember when we were happy together. When all we had was our love. I want to turn back. I pray that you stay with me. I hope that I can start over and knowing what I know now. I promise I will do things right this time.

_**There'd be nothing I wouldn't do for you  
If I could turn back  
Forever honest and true to you**_**  
**_**If I could turn back  
If you accept me back in your heart, I love you  
If I could turn back the hands**_**  
**

Undo the duel with Obi wan. Force be merciful…undo what I have done to you, my wife. I am sorry for thing I said. I am sorry for hurting you. I can be the good person, you've always known me to be. I will be the father our child would need. I will be the husband you need. I'll be open with you and honest with you. I will never keep anything from you or push you away. I will not let you down. I pray you have faith in me as you once did. Stand with me, please. My heart is yours as it always was and this time… this time, I won't be afraid to let go.

_**If I could turn back  
That would be my will  
If I could turn back  
Darlin' I'm begging you to take me by the hands  
If I could turn back the hands**_**  
**

Undo the burning of the temple and the attack on the Jedi . On my knees I beg you, my love, to forgive me. If you chose to leave me still, I will understand. All that I ask for is your forgiveness. Undo my decision to align with the Sith. Please take back my vision of her death, untie the knot that bound me to my fears and compelled me to act diabolically. Put me back that point in the council chambers and give me another chance to do it right this time. For her…for me…for everyone.

_**I'm going back, yes I am  
If I could turn back  
Down on my bended knee, yeah  
If I could turn back  
And I'm gonna be right there until you return to me**_

_**If I could turn back the hands**_

I want to feel her presence in the force again. Bring it all back to the moments before I erred. She felt me, just as I felt her. For that moment, we were bonded as husband and wife, as Padme and Anakin through the force. I didn't know it would be the last time, before the darkness touched me. I remember how much I loved her, how much I still love her.

**If I could turn back  
If I could just turn back that little clock on the wall  
If I could turn back  
Then I'd come to realize how much I love you  
Love you love you love you  
If I could turn back the hands**

A flash of light blinds me to all else and suddenly I am jerked out of slumber, my breath stolen away. I am confused and frightened. I am in our bedroom. It is night. And as I gasp for breath I feel her warmth and her presence through the force. Partly because of disbelief and partly out of a need to ensure she's safe again, I look at her. And there she is, beside me, asleep. I can sense our unborn, nestled within her womb. It is as it was the night I envisioned her deathfrom childbirth. For a moment, I question reality. Then, I realize that this IS real. She is really beside me. I am really whole again. I am Anakin Skywalker again. Yet, the question remains in my mind.

_Did the force undo time and put me back to the beginning? Or, was this a vision of what awaits if I choose the dark side? _

_THE END_

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**(COPY THE TITLE OF THE VIDEO. GO TO YOUTUBE AND PASTE IT IN THE SEARCH FIELD AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN) **

**TITLE: anakin loves padme -- the hands of time**

My screen name on YouTube is 'luckiwondr'.


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